While many attendees will experience the frigid temperatures at the Sundance Film Festival this month, Greater Miami and the Beaches is making its mark at the festival by bringing a little bit of the Miami heat to Main Street. The Miami “Express Yourself” Lounge – located within the Old Town Gallery at 580 Main Street in Park City – officially kicks-off Miami’s 2011 promotional tour, providing festivalgoers with unique offerings and a taste of Miami culture. The 2011 “Express Yourself Tour” is another phase of the premiere travel destination’s push for more affluent and sophisticated travelers.
Courtesy of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), the “Express Yourself” Lounge will be open to all festival attendees 21 and over from Friday, January 21 through Sunday, January 23. Visitors will experience Miami’s rich flavor, sampling Cuban coffee by Café Bustelo, conch chowder, specialty cocktails and live improvised poetry by the Miami-based, Poet Depot. The Lounge will also provide filmmakers, celebrities, industry professionals and visitors a convenient location to warm up and learn about exciting film events in Miami such as The Miami International Film Festival, the new Florida film tax incentives, and exciting boutique hotel properties like The Raleigh Hotel.
“A major component of the GMCVB’s ‘Express Yourself’ marketing campaign is to highlight Miami’s originality much in the same way the Sundance Film Festival does for up-and-coming films,” said William D. Talbert, III, CDME, president and chief executive officer, GMCVB. “With great weather year-round, top-ranked beaches and a diverse cultural landscape, Miami is the perfect destination for productions of every size. Beyond the economic benefits, these productions also help to solidify our image as a great city to live, visit and conduct business.”
The Sundance Film Festival is the first stop on the 2011“Express Yourself” road tour which will visit five other major events, including Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (February/New York), SXSW (March/Austin), Atlanta Jazz Festival (May/Atlanta), Pride Toronto (July/Canada) and Lollapalooza (August/Chicago). For more information about the tour visit http://www.MiamiExpressYourselfTour.com.
More than Beaches and Sunlight: Florida’s New Tax Incentives
Attracting the attention of film and television production companies nationwide, Miami – Dade County brings in between $100 – $150 million each year in revenue with the help of location filming projects. The state of Florida is currently home to two major television series including USA Network’s “Burn Notice” and A&E Network’s “The Glades”. Plus, recent blockbuster movies such as “Up in the Air”, “Marley & Me”, “I Love You Phillip Morris” (a Sundance film from two years ago now being released), and “Confessions of a Shopaholic” which starred indie darling Isla Fisher, have helped to raise the Sunshine State’s profile.
“Like other major cities across the nation, major film and TV productions are quickly becoming a key driver of Miami-Dade’s economy,” said Jeff Peel, director, Miami – Dade Office of Film & Entertainment. “Florida’s new 20 – 30 percent tax credit program will help us further stimulate Miami’s film and entertainment sector, while making us very competitive compared to other states.”
Florida’s new financial incentive program, signed in July 2010, will provide $242 million in transferable tax credits for projects produced in Florida over the next five years. Individual productions are eligible for a 20 percent tax credit, which could go as high as 30 percent if the film qualifies for other bonuses. Additionally, commercial, music video and emerging media productions are eligible for tax credits pending all requirements are met.
For more information about program guidelines or how to apply for the available tax credits visit http://www.filmiami.org.